ARMO: Exchangeable Shoes by Rodrigo Alonso

A funny look but interesting idea: ARMO is a line of ready-to-assemble shoes meant to be transformed, customized, disassembled and flattened. Produced under fair trade practices by a group of people in need, they come inside an envelope, saving space in transportation and being extremely portable by users. A close-up in the extended.

The shoes are produced by people under a program called 'Inclusivo', an alliance between Un techo para Chile, designer Rodrigo Alonso and corporate brands, which helps communities in need get out of poverty. Says the designer:

"Inclusivo involves projects which generate work with low-cost production and minimum expertise, key factors for people who need to overcome poverty in the short term. This is the case for these shoes, designed specifically to be a product of easy production, low investment and a major contribution in terms of logistics and production, due to its extreme simplicity and potential for storage in minimum space, as well as being a product that can mutate with seasons and trends."

Apart from the social aspect, the issue of shoes being exchangeable can extend their lifespan and thus reduce waste and need for new products. However the cool idea, the look of the shoes is still in rough mode, and fabrics and materials could be greener.

A funny look but interesting idea: ARMO is a line of ready-to-assemble shoes meant to be transformed, customized, disassembled and flattened. Produced under fair trade practices by a group of people in need, they